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In early October General MacArthur received a telegram asking
that he meet with President Truman on the progress of the war in Korea.
United Nations forces had just advanced across the 38th parallel into North
Korea, and Truman was concerned about the possibility that the communist
government in China might intervene to protect Kim Il-Sung’s regime. In
addition, MacArthur had recently embarrassed the administration by calling
publicly for the use in Korea of Nationalist Chinese forces from Taiwan—something
that the administration rejected for fear that it would antagonize the
Chinese Communists.
Since the consensus in the administration was that MacArthur should
not be kept away from his command for too long, it was agreed that the
two men would meet at Wake Island in the Pacific. On the surface the
meeting seemed to go well; MacArthur apologized for any embarrassment
that his remarks might have caused the president, and assured Truman
that the Chinese would not intervene in Korea. Truman, however, was infuriated
that MacArthur had shown up for a meeting with the President of the United
States dressed in his regular uniform and stained cap. He said nothing
at the time, but the meeting did little to ease the president’s misgivings.
Documents:
- Report
to the President by the National Security Council, dated September 9,
1950, "United States Courses of Action with Respect to Korea" (NSC 81/1)
- Directive
to the Commander of the United Nations Forces in Korea, dated 27 September
1950, implementing NSC 81/1 and providing instructions as to further
military action to be taken in Korea
- Substance
of Statements made at Wake Island Conference, dated 15 October 1950,
compiled by General of the Army Omar N. Bradley, Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, from notes kept by the conferees from Washington
- Memorandum
Regarding October 15 Meeting with MacArthur, November 25, 1950 |